29.03.04
Carnage on deck this morning. Blood on
Skipper’s Log
gunnels, fish everywhere. Didn’t hear thing
in night. Also Mum not up to tinkle! Great
watermaking day. Wind v. strange, quite S
25.03.04
Again headed S during night. Flat calm,
hence track N. Eating more chocolate. Got text
winds dropped to nothing. Spent v. calm day
from Ali Boreham re lobster. Made us smile.
going through hatches & flinging everything
Sweltering heat. Wind dropped by evening.
we’re not going to eat. Boat quite a lot lighter.
Hope distances reflect.
30.03.04
Call from Radio Leeds – 6.40 am/3.40 LT!!!
No fish on deck. Half moon – beautiful stars.
26.03.04
Nothing happened last night. No noise apart
V. calm. Quite pleasant really! Sweltering
from flappy sponsor sticker. Tuna glittered
today. Heavy clouds later in afternoon &
beside us. V. warm night. Grabbing some N
rain. Pain in legs & bum worsening. Treats
back so happy with that. Wind increasing
spag bol & baked beans. Hit by flying fish!
slightly. Where’s the bloody wildlife?
Computer & phone working!
31.03.04
Kept course really well – getting good at this!
Back killing me – led to v. uncomfortable
27.03.04
Boat kept course well. Smooth track ENE,
night. Cabin already 26° & voltage high –
making bit more ground N. When bigger
another hot day. Why the hell do we bother?
seas/winds come should be able to go due W
Rowed hard all day AGAIN, still made
again. Could stronger winds be back? Hoping
exactly same distance as ever. Saw whale –
to continue making good ground to beat 100
glimpse. F***d off.
days ORS predict.
01.04.04
Famous last words! Didn’t go anywhere but
28.03.04
Lights out … sea-me beeps! Uncomfortable
N in night. No wind. Both pissed off. Wind
night. With increased wind waves choppier,
S’ly. Both tired, aching, frustrated. Rowed
therefore all over place in cabin. Sticker
together all day with little break. Still made
flapping. One flying fish almost saved. Tried
v. little distance W. Para-anchor out for
melting chocolate. Heard Fraser & John got tow
night, both feel sick from vitamin drink.
into Port St Charles. In Times mag yesterday,
yet to find out if any good. Rained! So
choppy, keeping course v. difficult.
From:
Sally@epicchallenge.co.uk
To:
Jane@epicchallenge.co.uk
Date: 1 April 2004
Re: Calderdale Calling
Oh dear, it’s the first day of another
month and we’re still out here! In the
last couple of weeks we’ve been feeling
quite low. A combination of exhausting
heat, no wind (and therefore reduced
progress) and the growing monotony of the
task has ground us down a little; so much
so that a few days ago we had our first
argument. It was over the smallest of
things but it culminated in my wearing
a watch and the two of us spending more
time out on deck together.
Although the heat makes it practically impossible
to enjoy standing in the footwell in front of the cupboard door, our
Sally and Sarah kettle
spirits are dramatically lifted when we spend time talking to each
other, even if it is about the best way to clean the oven or the
in their first trip out
merits of a turkey baster! together.
I asked Mum what cheers her up, she said she loves the Concorde
fish belly-flopping gracefully around the boat. She says they look so
silly as they launch their shiny bodies through the air, their tails
flapping for extra momentum. I asked her what else made her smile. She
said, ‘Seeing my grandson and him saying “Hello, Gran.”’ She instantly
burst into tears. I recommended she choose a different ‘smile-making’
thought; that one definitely wasn’t working!
There’s been a strange role reversal on the boat. I spend half an
hour at night reading Mum a story from our Chicken Soup for the Ocean
34 YACHTWORLD.COM MARCH 2009
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